Memories
by grahamhannah53
Summary: Reyna tries to cope with being forgotten about by going on vacation, Jason gets dumped and forced to go on a memory hunt, and, meanwhile, the gods are useless, as usual. This is a Jeyna fanfic, and if you have a problem, go elsewhere with it.
¨I don't love him, you know,¨ Reyna said to her dogs as she braided her hair. "I'm totally over it. I'm fine. Really."

Aurum looked over to the pile of crumpled up paper balls that, when unfolded, would reveal themselves to be letters addressed to Jason Grace, the 'him' in question. Reyna had thrown them from her desk in frustration weeks ago, but never picked them up for fear of being motivated to write more.

"That doesn't mean anything."

Argentum padded over and put his head on her lap, his ruby eyes shining up at her as though in pity.

"Do you remember how he used to play with you two? You wouldn't ever chase a ball if anyone else threw it, but you did for him," Reyna sighed. "Well, even if you do remember it… he doesn't."

Aurum whined sadly.

"It's terrible to hold grudges, but I will never forgive Juno. Hera. Whoever the Hades she is. I hate her. I swear by all the gods, I hate her. As praetor, I had already given so much of myself… I had no free time, I never took a break. My life was non-stop, and I would've worked myself into the ground if not for Jason. Hanging out while doing paperwork with him was the only fun I allowed myself to have. He was my best friend… but you already knew that. I guess that I had afforded myself too much luxury with his friendship. Maybe this is punishment for having a friendship with him instead of a partnership, for loving him more than respecting him. Maybe I was selfish and the Fates see it fit that I be punished. That doesn't make me hate Juno any less. If this is the payment I get for leading an army of demigods to die for the petty differences of the gods, I feel ridiculously short-changed."

Reyna's dogs listened intently as she continued to rant.

"At the very least, the gods could have spared my heart for a little while longer by not making him love that _graecus_ girl so soon after his abduction, and, really, a _graecus_ girl? I am not prejudiced, but my _gods_ , did he have to love someone that I had never seen before? And a daughter of Aphrodite- what better for him than someone so closely tied to love? I want to hate her, but I cannot. She is so beautiful, and they look so well standing side-by side. She makes him happy-they look like a movie-star couple. She is brave and clever, and, Bellona help me, I would have done the same in her shoes. Even their names sound well together."

Reyna stopped to breathe, and her dogs gave her an accusatory _and you said you didn't love him_ look.

"Shut up, you knew I was lying," she got up and began pacing. "What does it matter if I do? It's not like he knows, or cares, or cares to know. If he _did_ care, he'd be asking me, trying to find the memories he has lost. He would be putting forth effort to find the truth. He doesn't _want_ the truth, because the truth complicates things. It makes life difficult, and Jason Grace would rather live in total ignorance than have to cope with altercation. Anything that complicates his stupid, perfect little life is simply unacceptable. Once again, I bear the burden for two people. _I_ bear this burden of knowledge- I alone shoulder the guilt meant for two people. Just like a _graecus_ to turn his back on what is difficult. Gods above, I am alone in this."

She sat back down in her chair at her desk, drawing her knees up to her chest and burying her head in her knees so that no one, not even the gods, could see her face as she cried.

""You're always distracted, how am I supposed to deal with that? Whenever we're together, it's like you're somewhere else, in your own little fantasy land!"

"Piper, you can't demand my attention all the time!"

The beautiful daughter of Aphrodite slammed her hands down on the table they were sitting at. "I'm not demanding _anything_ all the time. Just, when we are together, just you and me, it doesn't feel right. You always seem so preoccupied, and whenever I ask you about it, you brush me off like it's none of my business! You never talk to me about anything anymore, and when you _do_ talk about something, it's your work. If it isn't your work, then it's something else that _you_ want to talk about, and even if I'm not interested, I pay attention. On the other hand, when I talk about something you don't want to hear, you switch the topic. _Always_. If it's not something you want to talk about, you don't talk at all! You don't even hold my hand that much anymore. Jason, what is wrong with you?"

For a moment, Jason was silent. He waited until Piper's chest was no longer heaving with her heavy, furious breathing, and then he began to speak. "Piper, I know. I know that it seems unfair to you now, but I swear that I have a valid reason. The stuff that I talk about… those things are safe. I don't have my memories back, and if I talk about anything that _might_ relate to my past, I could remember things… things that could damage our relationship. This way, there is nothing to worry about. It's better this way. There are probably memories that I have that are better forgotten, for both our sakes."

Piper folded her arms, her color-changing eyes fixed on his azure ones, angry and stubborn. "So you're running from your past. What memory could you have that could _possibly_ affect the now? Do you even know what you're afraid of ? Jason, I love you, and nothing that you did or have done can change that. I will accept any and every mistake that you have made because they have made you who you are today. My feelings won't change."

When Piper spoke that last sentence, a random phrase popped into Jason's mind- _love does not alter when it alteration finds_. It was Shakespeare, he knew, but he didn't know where he remembered it from, so he pushed it to the back of his mind to deal with the issue at hand. He let out a sigh, and then some of the unfortunate truth: "Piper, your feelings are not what I'm worried about. It's mine. I love you with all my heart, but if there is someone that I had loved first… well, I wouldn't know how to handle that situation or how it would affect our relationship."

"Your feelings changing should never come into play. That isn't something that you should have to be worried about in a healthy relationship."

"Piper, I'm an _amnesiac_ , don't you think that makes these circumstances a bit special? There is no easy out- if I _don't_ get back my memories,

I could be subjecting someone to so much pain, and yet if I _do_ get them back, I risk hurting you," Jason felt his emotions leak into his voice, and he took Piper by both hands.

She moved her hands away and under the table, a hard edge to her expression. "You know what, that might have been a decent excuse if the 'someone' wasn't as hypothetical as you paint her to be. Let's shed light on the real problem- your feelings involving Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano. This _is_ what this is about, right?"

Jason sighed, supposing that further attempts at subtlety were futile. "Yes."

Piper sighed, and there was a long stretch of silence before she spoke again.

"Look, Jason. Go find your memories. Stop running. When you find yourself again, when you know who you were before and you you are now, what you want and what duty demands of you, come back and we'll talk, but until you know these things, we are through. I can't be with someone who doesn't know who they are when they won't let me help them find themselves."

"But Piper-"

"I know, I know. I love you too, and this hurts me beyond what you could ever imagine, but we can't keep going like this. It's going to feel like the Fields of Punishment, but there is nothing that can be done. There is no solution to until you figure out who and what you are, and what it is that you want. I've got to go. I have a campfire to attend."

And just like that, Jason's world began to collapse around him. In this emotional hurricane, there was only one thing to do- find the eye. He wasn't sure how to do that, but it made sense that, when looking for something that is lost, it is only logical to look for it where it had last been found, and that was at Camp Jupiter. If Jason was honest, he was terrified of this little quest, as he began to think of it, more terrified than he'd been his whole life (or at least the part of it that he remembered). A horde of monsters? Easy. Feelings? Not so much. But, as he had always done, he accepted his burden with resolve, and went to pack his bags immediately, bound for Camp Jupiter.

At supper that evening, Reyna received the news that Jason was to return to Camp Jupiter in the near future, quite possibly on the morrow. She tried not to think about it much, and failed miserably. How could she _not_ think about it, especially when everyone was so excited for the return of the _pontifex maximus_? The campers adored Jason- they looked up to him, admired him. When he visited camp, every face had a smile- every face except Reyna's. She was always miserable. There is something about proximity to what one desires but cannot have that makes one feel like the most unfortunate wretch on the earth. In fact, this feeling of desolation made Reyna wish that she could order for no one to speak to her of Jason and his endeavors… but alas. She was praetor- it was her business. Besides, it would make too obvious her feelings, which was the last thing she wanted.

 _There must be an amazing reward for my suffering when I reach the underworld,_ she thought as she felt her heart clench. _If not, I will raise all Hades, because this is ridiculous._

Frank whistled. "I never realized how awful I am at chess."

"You're not awful, Frank," Reyna sighed as she reset the pieces for another game. "Your mind has just been fried from the paperwork we just finished. Thank you for helping me, and now playing chess with me. That really was a lot of work, and chess helps clear my mind."

"No problem," the Chinese-Canadian replied, moving a pawn. "You've been looking more and more exhausted every day. I think you need more than just a chess break- I think you need a vacation."

Reyna didn't even look up from the chess board. "Absolutely not. My place is here, with the people."

"Yes it is, but if you die of exhaustion, you aren't doing the people a favor."

"Frank, I'm fine, I promise."

"This isn't because you don't trust me with the job, is it?" Frank asked quietly, almost ashamedly.

Reyna then looked up, her dark, shiny eyes reflective in the light. "No! That isn't it at all. I trust you completely, but… there is a reason this job is meant for two people. Doing this alone… it can really do a number on you. It will make you feel like Atlas, with the weight of the world on your shoulders. I don't want to subject anyone to that."

"Even though you were subjected to it yourself."  
" _Especially_ because I was subjected to it myself."

"Reyna, Hazel and I could keep this place from floating off to Neverland for two days. Just two."

Reyna sighed. "Maybe one day. Checkmate."

Frank looked down at his checkmated king despairingly before continuing the conversation. "Reyna, I don't mean to offend you, but sometimes I'm afraid you'll fall over if a butterfly lights on you."

"I feel fine." She looked down, a tell-tale sign, Frank had learned, that she was lying.

"Tell you what, I'll make a deal with you," Frank said, taking his turn and taking one of her pawns. "If Will Solace from Camp Half-Blood checks you out and doesn't think you need a vacation, I'll never mention it again, but if he says you need a break, you have to take two days off."

"No deal, Zhang. Besides, how would you even get him up here."

Frank grinned. "I have my ways. If I get him here, will you agree?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Absolutely not."

Frank widened his eyes sadly, looking down at the chess board. He really was concerned for Reyna. She was always too hard on herself.

"Oh for the love of the gods, _fine_ ," Reyna sighed. "If you can get Solace here in the next three hours, before the sun goes down, you have a deal."

"Okay, deal," Frank said, now carefully studying his chess pieces. He made three quick hops, and then grinned. "Checkmate."

"Get your feet out of my face, Solace."

"I'm trying, I'm trying, just give me a minute."

Nico di Angelo and Will Solace had elected to skip capture the flag in favor of napping in a hammock, but with long, lanky Will, this did not seem to be working out too well.

Just as they began to get situated and comfortable, and had almost drifted off to sleep, Will's ringtone (the Narwhal Song) played so loud and scared the boys so much that they ended up getting dumped out of the hammock and on top of each other after it twisted around them. Will scrambled to answer his phone as he was being pushed off of Nico, on whom he had landed.

"Hello?"

"Hey Will, it's Frank. I have a job for you up here. Like, immediately."

"Sure. I'll be there."

"Okay. Cool."

"M'kay. Bye."

"Bye."

Will looked over at Nico. "You feeling up to some shadow travel?"

Nico looked him up and down from the ground before replying with a simple "Yes."

"Stupid, shadow-traveling devil-spawn. Stupid son of Apollo. Stupid puppy-dog eyes, stupid, stupid, _stupid!_ "

With each 'stupid' Reyna angrily slammed another article of clothing into her suitcase.

"Now, now," Will Solace laughed, rounding the corner. "You shouldn't talk about your traveling companions like that."

"Oh, uh-uh, that's not happening."

"Of course it is. Nico and I have to go with you, or else we won't know if you're _really_ relaxing. Doctor's orders. We leave in the morning. Get ready for two whole days of complete and total irresponsibility. Can I get a wHOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO?"

Reyna deadpanned, and in the most serious voice known to mankind, she said "Whoohoo."

At that, Will looked slightly intimidated and shook his head. "I have a lot to do."

The next morning, Jason arrived by pegasus at Camp Jupiter, just in time for breakfast. There, he greeted all his friends and ate, since he was absolutely starving after waking up very early and not eating anything. He hadn't realized that he was sitting in front of the praetor table until he looked up and saw Reyna, looking tired and almost gray in her pallor. She looked like death, and, when speaking of Reyna, that was saying something. The life had left her eyes, and she just picked at her food. Jason was not allowed to focus on her long, however, since his attention was demanded from every angle.

Deep down inside, Jason wanted to talk to Reyna, but something inside him just wouldn't let him. Every time she'd looked at him since their reunion, she had fixed him with her stone-cold, unwelcoming gaze, looking much more regal and much more intimidating than a girl her age should. It made him nervous, and it felt like betrayal, talking to her while he was in love with Piper. All of the sudden, his breakfast wasn't appetizing anymore, and after politely excusing himself from the table, he walked out of the dining hall to wander the camp grounds in search of answers.

For a good long while, Jason just walked. He walked and walked and walked, without a fixed course, without a specific destination. He finally came to the top of a hill where, out of pure instinct, he knelt, looking back at the camp. Without really meaning to, he began what was to be a small prayer to any of the gods that would listen, and evolved into a prayer directly to Hera. His prayer was an angry one, accusatory. Why him? Why take _his_ memories? Was one war not enough? Was the reward for his valor to be mental and emotional torment?

About half way through this prayer, if it a prayer could be called, for all it's lack of respect, a brilliant golden light could be seen, alerting him to the presence of an Olympian.

"Hello, Jason Grace."

Jason looked up from where he was sitting to see none other than the recipient of his wrathful prayer. "Hera."

"I cannot help you, Jason," she sighed. "I am sorry. I did not take away your memories, as you accuse me, but merely repressed them. I am no longer the force holding them back from you. You must learn to rediscover them."

Anger spread through Jason's chest and up to his throat. "And you can't put forth a little effort to help me? How come Percy has all of his memories back and I don't? What's the deal with that?"

"Percy Jackson has Annabeth Chase. She is his rock, the solid foundation upon which he bases most all things. It is safe to say that without her, he would be standing in the same shoes as you. Being with his foundation, he was able to rebuild all that once was in his mind. You, however, are much more problematic. By loving this Piper girl, you have very nearly severed all connection to the person that was closest to you in your life before. As I said, I cannot help you- what you choose to do decides the fate of your memories. For all that it is worth, I wish you good luck, my saving Grace."

Just like that, the goddess was gone, leaving Jason with grass stains on his jeans and no more answers than he had to begin with.

"Do we have to leave?" Reyna asked, holding back the whining tone she wanted to use.

"Yes," Will and Nico replied simultaneously.

"And you're sure I can't take any paperwork?"

"Yes," they replied.

Reyna sighed. " _Why_ did I agree to this?"

"Because Frank is adorable," Will laughed. "Just relax. Grab on to Nico and let's roll."

Nico and Reyna locked eyes, and she knew that he was thinking the same thing she was: _just don't make this another Albania._

"Hey, Dakota, do you know where Reyna is? I really need to talk to her."

Dakota wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shrugged. "I haven't seen her since breakfast, but she may be at the sparring field where the dummies are. She has spent a lot of time out there recently, even though the gods know she doesn't need it,"

Jason sighed. "Thanks, man. I'll catch up with you a bit at lunch."

"Alright. See you then."

Jason walked over to the sparring field, thinking of everything and nothing all at once. The front of his mind was blank, completely clear of thought, and yet, in the back of his mind, there was an endless stream of thought. Without really knowing why, he walked over to the back left side of the training dummies, stopping in front of one that had been sewn back together so many times that it was more repair thread than cloth. He looked it right in its face. Out of instinct, he touched the sewn-up patch that ran down the dummy's face and, all of a sudden, the world began to spin. When his vision steadied, he was clearly in a different time. He saw a young, black-haired girl hacking away at the dummy, who he soon realized was Reyna. Even then, she was pretty, even when she was sweating and red-faced from exertion. No, _especially_ when she was sweating and red-faced from exertion.

He then saw what he recognized to be a much younger version of himself walking up, and he mentally cringed at himself. Was he really that scrawny as a kid? He knew he wasn't _now._ He had broad shoulders, muscular arms, legs, and back, and he no longer had a squishy face like the kid in front of him did. It was almost embarrassing to think about.

" _Reyna, I think you killed it already,"_ he heard his younger self laugh.

" _Not done,"_ younger Reyna grunted, " _Gotta work on… technique."_

" _But it's lunch time."_

" _Irrelevant. This is why I can do_ this _,"_ she said, smacking one of the revolving arms that the dummy had so hard that she would had to squat down and jump back up really high to avoid it again, and, as she began her descent to the ground, she stabbed a hole in the dummy's face, landing on her feet on top of the revolving arm, looking quite smug. " _And you can't."_

Jason laughed at the expression on his younger self. His face was a mix of shock and respect, and his mouth hung open.

" _Well, that doesn't make me any less hungry, and I didn't want to eat without you."_

Little Reyna looked at his younger self, and she sheathed her dagger, walking over to him. Just as Jason began to wonder what would happen next, he was violently snatched from this dream-like memory world and was thrown into the present, his finger still on the dummy. A horn sounded in the distance for lunch, and Jason went, deciding then and there that he _had_ to talk to Reyna.

"Florida? I didn't think you could shadow-travel that far by yourself, much less with company," Reyna said while smiling at Will's camera and posing by the 'Welcome to Florida' sign.

"I've been practicing," Nico said as he stepped away to take a picture of Reyna and Will.

"Even though I tell him not to," Will grumbled.

"Well, _mother_ , it sure was helpful today, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but mark my words, one day, you're going to die doing that and then everyone will be hurt and inconvenienced by your untimely death."

"Really, guys?" Reyna laughed as Nico started a slap-fight. "Stop acting like children so we can go find a beach."

"But Reyna, he said my death would be inconvenient!"

"It's the truth- no one likes funerals!"

Reyna smiled, watching the two boys bicker. Despite herself, she was already beginning to join this trip. It really was nice not to have any responsibilities for a change. There was nothing to worry about but what spot to choose at the beach. The conversation was light, the atmosphere jovial. It was absolutely perfect. Maybe she needed to take more of these 'vacation' things.

After lunch (where Reyna was not), Jason wandered around the camp, hoping to discover something that would send him into another flashback. He was very unsuccessful. He found nothing to which he felt a connection. When it was time for dinner, he felt largely defeated. No Reyna, no flashbacks… nothing to assist him on his mission. He sat down, staring dejectedly at his food, until he lifted his drink, which caused him to look up and directly a the praetor table, where Frank sat alone. Violently, he was thrown into another flashback, without knowing who or what triggered it, hoping that he didn't do anything weird during this involuntary vision.

He and Reyna, this time aged up to nearly present, were sitting at the praetor table, and he was looking through his own eyes this time.

" _Jason Grace, I swear, if you flick_ one more pea _at me, I'll smother you with one of Octavian's mutilated stuffed animals."_

Jason watched himself move to flick another pea, and Reyna pinned his arm to the table with her hand.

" _Hey, ow, that hurts,"_ he heard himself say, laughter still in his voice despite the pain. He tried to move his arm, but realized that he would have to pry off her death grip before that was going to happen. That led to what began as light tussling, and ended with them freezing, with Jason's hand over Reyna's, as the entire dining hall stared at them. When they were no longer being stared at, Jason took great pains to eat with his left hand instead of his right, so that he could keep his hand on top of Reyna's.

The scene switched, and the dining hall was empty, his hand do longer on Reyna's. It was later in the evening, and he somehow knew that they'd come to the dining hall to do paperwork. Reyna was asleep, her head resting on top of a mound of paperwork. Her hair was out of its usual braids and down her back in silky, shiny ringlet curls. Jason watched himself push hair back from her face, and her eyes fluttered open, shining darkly in the light. He loved that beautiful coffee color. He believed it was his _favorite_ color. Her full lips pulled upward into a smile, and her dark lashes brushed against her cheek when she blinked. She was breath-taking, and Jason thought his heart would stop. She looked more goddess than mortal as she looked up at him, her olive skin practically aglow.

" _Hi,"_ he breathed, unable to take his eyes from her.

" _Hey,"_ she replied, sitting up and stretching. " _Gosh, I need to get back to work… oh my gods, is that drool?"_

Jason laughed. " _Hey, why don't you just continue that nap? I promise I'll wake you up in ten. You look like you need some sleep."_

" _But-"_

" _Rey. Ten minutes."_

She yawned her nose crinkling cutely. " _You promise to wake me up?"_

" _I promise."_

She scooted her chair over and leaned against him, using him as a pillow. Jason just lifted her into his lap, letting her sleep there with her arms around his neck. Eventually, Jason knew that he would fall asleep there too.

Jason came back to the present, his glass still against his lips, but everyone had gone. He didn't know how long he'd been out of it, but his arm kind of hurt for holding up his glass for however long it had been. He felt physically, mentally, and emotionally drained after that flashback, and he retired immediately, falling asleep without even taking his clothes off when he flopped down on his bed.

"So," Will said, flopping down on the bed that he was to share with Nico. "Now that we have had hella fun, it's time to have an emotional conversation that is supposed to happen at every sleepover ever and reveal our deepest darkest secrets."

"You're a dork, Solace," Nico said as he braided Reyna's damp hair into a crown.

"I'm serious," the son of Apollo whined. "I just want it to be a _real_ sleepover."

"This isn't a sleepover, it's a vacation."

"But Neeks-"

"Fine, but you have to go first."

"Deal," Will's face lit up as he cleared his throat and began to speak. "You both know that I am a doctor. Well, I feel really useless on the battlefield, even though I'm a good shot with my bow, and I know how to use cool gadgets… because that's all I know how to do. I don't have any brute strength or courage, I'm not a tactical genius and I just…I'm just not meant to be on the battlefield. It makes me feel really insecure... Also, I am perpetually single, which is pretty disappointing."

¨Well, _I_ think you're hella rad," Nico said as he finished with Reyna's hair, moving to sit by the older boy.

Will smiled a thousand-watt smile. "Thanks. Now it's your turn. Bare your soul for us, son of Hades!"

Nico shoved Will playfully, but started his turn. "I had a crush on Percy."

"Same," Will and Reyna replied in unison, and they all laughed.

"My dad liked my sister better, I am the most socially awkward human being to ever exist, and I like dead things better than live ones. Also, I'm like, seventy, but still cannot legally consume alcohol," Nico continued, folding his arms.

"You sound pretty sore about that," Will laughed.

"Yes, I am. It's not fair."

"So, Reyna. Let's hear your sob story," Will said, sitting Indian style.

The praetor looked kind of uncomfortable. "I don't know if I should-"

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to," Nico interjected. "Just talk about anything,"

"Well," she sighed. "I stay buried in my work. I feel detached from reality, but that's mostly my own fault, because I can't _deal_ with what is my reality right now. I'm not as happy as I was, or as I wish to be. When Jason went missing, I threw all of my weight into the reigns of praetorship, coping with my emotions the best way I knew how. I was numb until I was alone, and then when I was alone, I would drown in my ocean grief and worry and stress; it was an ocean that felt easier to swim down into that swim up out of. I...I loved him," her voice cracked. "Bellona help me, but I still do, and now he doesn't even _know_ me. At one point, we… I mean, I believe he loved me too. I was happy, but… well, now he's with Piper. I want to hate her, but I can't. Gods above, I can't. I need some kind of closure but I don't see how I can _have_ closure, when, in his mind, nothing happened at all."

"Reyna," Nico moved over to her again, sitting next to her, Will following suit. "That… that is deep. I'm so sorry."

"Why don't you talk to him?" Will asked, patting her hand. "I think he would listen."

"Because I feel as though that would be interfering with what he has with Piper… I don't want to come between them, I don't want to ruin what they have."

"Honey, the only thing that can 'ruin' something between them is one of the two that is in the relationship. In other words, if Jason breaks up with Piper or vice versa because of your feelings, then that's not you-that's them," Nico stated matter-of-factly.

"Reyna, I prescribe to you a morning walk on the beach before your return home and a nice chat with Jason once you get there," Will followed up. "Although, I am a bit confused… go back to the part where you have feelings."

Reyna grabbed a pillow from behind her and smacked him in the face with it. "Shut up, Solace."

From there, they had a pillow-fight and laughed themselves to sleep, all the better for it.

Jason had slept without actually resting, and he woke just as exhausted as he had laid down. He was up before dawn, and had already eaten breakfast before anyone had gotten up. He was outside while the sun rose, sitting on the hill where he had prayed to Hera, silent and pensive.

 _Reyna liked to watch the sunrise,_ he remembered randomly. _She would always say that it gave her energy to watch the world wake up. She laughed when I said that the world was always in a better mood than me when it woke up._

It felt odd remembering something that you didn't remember experiencing before you remembered it. It was such a strange feeling… and quite unique were the circumstances. Jason got up at that thought, wandering until he came to the Little Tiber, where he watched the water and hummed a tune he did not remember knowing. He then remembered that Reyna had a beautiful voice, but didn't sing very often. She had told him that she sang soprano, although he wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he could only think that it reminded him of the birds that they heard in the morning when they would watch the sunrise together.

It was in that moment, as he recalled her humming in his ear as he began to drift off into sleep, that he began to wonder what it was that he had lost. Or, rather, what he'd had _taken_ from him. He was beginning to think that he had lost something more valuable than he could ever have imagined.

Frank was humming happily, doing paperwork with Hazel, when Jason burst into the office without a knock, which was uncharacteristic of him.

"Frank, I need to get into Reyna's office. Well, I really need to see Reyna, but she isn't here and she practically _lives_ in that office, so that's the closest thing I have and I just-"

"Jason, slow down," Hazel said, her gold eyes soft with concern. "What's wrong?"

"My memories," he said, the light of a madman in his brilliant blue eyes. "I need them back, and I'm getting them piece by piece but I need something to trigger them. I _need_ it, Frank. Please let me into her office."

"Jason, she's not here," the Chinese-Canadian praetor began slowly. "I don't know how she'd feel about me letting you in-"

"It's my _mind_ that I have lost, my memories, Frank, just let me in. I won't touch anything, won't move anything, I just want to look around for something, anything, that could trigger memories. Please, Frank."

Frank wanted to refuse, but Hazel touched his arm, and something in her eyes said to allow him access.

"Ten minutes."

"Okay, thank you."

"If she catches you, then I'm telling her you held me at sword-point."

"And I'll go along with it."

As soon as Jason walked into the office, memories flooded his mind, but not in the flash-back way that they had before. This was more like a wave of memories crashing over his head, submerging him. They contained nothing but Reyna- her favorite color, her handwriting, her favorite food, their inside jokes… everything. He looked at a photograph on her desk, and saw her black ace ring. He remembered her telling him that she was asexual but hetero-romantic and that she was really afraid of how he'd react. Beside it, there was a picture frame put face-down, and he set it upright to see a selfie of them, his arm around her and fireworks in the background.

Fireworks- he remembered their significance. The kind of fireworks he felt in his chest when she kissed him for being a dork, the kind that were in his stomach when he asked her to be his date to one of the Roman parties...yes, those fireworks were so important… he couldn't believe that he had forgotten them.

He now remembered all the times that she had thrown herself in front of weapons, monsters, _anything_ to protect him, and all the times he had done the same for her. He remembered that he was in love with her. She had been his everything, but he had never told her that- he guessed she just always knew, without him having to say anything. Memories from one of the parties aforementioned rushed into his mind, taking him by storm. They had been too drunk for their own good, and he remembered blearily what had happened in one of the guest bedrooms. He remembered that morning, how he'd been so afraid that she would hate what happened before she woke… and then she _did_ wake, a smile on her face. She had kissed him softly on the mouth before sitting up and stretching, exposing that lovely, smooth, flawless skin. Jason felt as though he had taken a blow to the chest, remembering the way her body fit against his, and how, even though she had no desire for sex, she complied with whatever he wanted, because she _loved_ him. She had made it clear that whatever he wanted, she wanted too. It was painful how much he had forgotten. Gods, why hadn't she told him? Anger, not at her, but at the situations surged through his veins. He was, in truth, a tad angry with her for not telling him, for not letting him know that she was in pain, but there was no use in anger over it. He had too many other emotions to feel.

Suddenly, being in that office was too much. The world felt as though it was closing in on him, and he couldn't breathe. Jason made his way out without a word, his own feelings threatening to strangle him. He didn't know much about how he felt after he discovered all this- he only knew that he could _never_ go back to Piper.

Reyna felt good when she was dropped off by Will and Nico and Camp Jupiter. She felt as though all her weariness had been relieved, and that she could once again take on the world. This wonderful, light feeling only lasted for as long as it took her to walk down to the hall where her office was, where she came face-to-face with the embodiment of her misery- Jason Grace.

All at once, that weariness came back to her. She once again felt the heavy weight on her shoulders that had very nearly pressed her into the ground before as she looked into those eyes the color of the mid-morning sky. Her heart ached, and for the first time since she had seen him after their reunion, she faltered, turning to leave.

¨Reyna,¨ he called after her, grabbing her arm, ¨Reyna, please.¨

¨Please what, Jason?¨ She tried to be strong, but her voice just sounded dull and emotionless.

"No, no Rey, please don't go all stiff on me like that," his voice was pleading, his hand still on her arm. "I know what that means, now, your body language... Gods of Olympus, I hadn't before, I never knew I was hurting you so much," Jason ran a strong, muscular hand through his hair. "I remember now."

Panic, like a paralytic, spread from her chest outward. "Remember what?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible

"Everything," Jason breathed. "Gods, Reyna, I remember everything. I remember so much... I am so, so sorry, I had no idea- why didn't you tell me? You let me hurt you so much, and I'm so _angry_ with you because you didn't tell me what a jerk I was being... Reyna, why didn't you tell me that I loved you?" There was a kind of desperation in his eyes, and Reyna felt a bit sick.

"I… Well, I mean, you don't now, because, you know, you have Piper, and I just thought that I would come between you-"

"You don't say. Reyna, nothing, absolutely _nothing_ that I had with Piper even compares to what I feel for you. I _love_ you Reyna, so very, very much. She and I are through, and that breakup took me here to you, where I realize that I belong," Jason put both hands on her cheeks, "That is, if you'll have me. After all that I have done, I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to speak to me again forgot that I loved you, and I don't know how to apologize for that."

"I- you love me?" Reyna was still in a bit of a shock, unable to form more than one-syllable words.

"Gods, Reyna," Jason smashed his lips against hers, and electricity, literal electricity, shot through her body, making her skin tingle and her hair stand on end.. "Of course. How could I not, reliving every little moment we had? I relived that night, when we were together under the stars. You were so beautiful, and you practically glowed as I ripped your clothes off. That night, I learned that just a little bit of electricity in the right places could make you make the most _exquisite_ noises," he kissed her again, his tongue slipping into her mouth. Once they could breathe again, he began to speak again."Oh, Rey, I remember everything."

"Jason," she pulled away, brushing disheveled hair out of her face. "Wait just a second."

He paused, and fear filled his features. She reached up and traced his lips with her fingers, pausing over the little scar from the stapler he tried to eat as a child. She traced every line of his face, as though memorizing the feel of it. He closed his eyes, letting her do as she willed, which was somehow soothing to Reyna's relieved, and yet somehow troubled mind.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear as she traced the line of his throat. "And you love me. This is true?"

"Yes. Well, I assume you love me," his deep voice resonated through his chest. "I think it's safe to say that since you haven't killed me yet that you do. This is true?" he peeked through the lashes of one azure eye, and Reyna laughed.

"This is true. And you would like to resume our relationship where we last left off?"

"Well, a little more official, but yes."

"I see."

Jason opened both of his eyes. "Reyna, what are you thinking."

"I'm thinking that you owe my dogs a visit."

"Holy Zeus, I think you're right," he replied, looking slightly horrified. "I haven't played fetch with them in over a year!"

"And when you're tired of that?" she laughed.

"Dinner," Jason grinned.

"And after that?"

"I think there is something else we haven't done in over a year."

Reyna gave him a look. "You didn't do that with Piper, did you?"

Jason shook his head. "No. It was always too awkward for me. I guess I know why now."

Reyna grinned, her heart soaring. "Excellent."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Reyna walked out, hand-in-hand with Jason, happier than she'd been in a long time. Sometimes, it was easier depending on someone than not. She was beginning to think that maybe humans weren't designed to function alone, but required at least some level of partnership. And what better partners than a daughter of Bellona, a warrior woman with a heart of pure titanium, and a son of Zeus, prince of the sky? Together, there was nothing they could not do.


End file.
